The Moonacre Curse
by wcqaguxa
Summary: Rewrite of the story including some nice details from the book "Little White Horse" that I missed in the movie, generally a crossover. I'll try to keep it neat, with heavy Maria x Robin :)
1. Chapter 1

The funeral procession was a very modest one indeed. Maria Merryweather and miss Heliotrope as the only family of the deceased, and two gravedgiggers. And a priest, of course. That was the wicked end of Mr Merryweather, as even his own brother didn't care to attend the funeral. Gamblers don't have a proper wake.

Maria didn't actually understood well the circumstances she was in. All of it happend so sudden - the death of her usually absent father and information about all his debts and wrongdoings. Not only she was overcome with grief, but also uncartain about her future and broke to the wide. That was a lot for a sixteen years old lass to get through. What would it be, if miss Heliotrope hadn't discovered the family of her father? But it wasn't sure yet if the other Merryweather will welcome them at all.

Miss Heliotrope, walking just behind Maria, wasn't in any better mood. While she loved Maria as her own doughter, she hoped to live in the comfortable London for the rest of her life. Whatever Benjamin Merryweather had to offer will have to be enough for both of them, but the tone of the letter she recieved from him was puzzling and didn't reveal his attitude at all.

The procession had stopped. George Merryweather was to be buried next to his wife, Eliza.

"Lord, we commit the body of your son, colonel George Henry Merryweather, to the ground."

Maria let a single tear out of her eye. Why did it happen?

"Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, in the sure and certain hope of resurrection into eternal life".

She let one of the roses on the coffin. It fell with an empty thud, with one of the bloody red petals laying next to it. Vanitas vanitatem et omnia vanitas, the flower was dying already.

"What the Lord giveth, he also taketh away."

She put the other bloody rose on her mother's tombstone. Maria looked at miss Heliotropeand they understood each other without words, sharing the grief together. What miss Heliotrope was for Maria, Lady Merryweather was for miss Heliotrope. Suddenly...

Suddenly she felt that she is being watched. She looked around. Twenty feet away, a figure dressed in black and red watched upon her, leaning on a pillar, in, Maria must have admitted, a very casual manner. Another mourner, could it be? Something in the figure struckingly resembled her _someone._ She was trying to catch a memory from long ago, but the more she tried, the more those memories were fading and she forgot what was she even looking for.

Miss Heliotrope gave her an admonishing glance.

When she looked again in that place, there was just no one staying there. But she was sure it wasn't only her imagination. The blonde hairlocks seemed sow lively, just as... Maria sighed. She pretended to follow the funeral ceremony, but her thoughts were far away. There was something troubling about the figure in black, as a bad omen. Maybe it was just the overall feeling, or something in the appeareance of the stranger? Maybe the bowler hat or those feathers on his neck, the red scarf or just the look of his eyes? Or maybe... the black ribbon on his face, as if he tried to hide at least a part of his face?

Something, for sure, _was_ wrong.

* * *

Robin woke up with a feeling of empty head. "Eye, Robin, you awake?", one of his buds loughed. Indeed, it was the middle of the day and the sun was shining brightly. He and his company were ambushing in the tall grass, in the middle of the hunt. Why did he fall asleep?

He faintly rememberd a sad look on a face, a face he should remember... There was something familiar about it, but he wasn't sure at all. He thought about his sister, hidden somewhere in the forest. She could have known something. If only he could have a word with her... But Lovaday was unattainable.

He got to be tough as always, just it.

Suddenly he saw a movement - the animal they were hunting on suddenly showed up. Robin maked a muffled noise and jumped on his feet. But it was too late.

"Be damned with it!" One of the boys shouted.

"Indeed, I have enough of it" yawned Robin. "I'm gonna put up some snares, preferably _they_ won't run away!"


	2. Chapter 2

When the carriege finally stopped, it was already dark. Both Maria and Miss Heliotrope gave a sigh of relief - the travel was very painfull indeed. Digweed, the servant, approched to assist the ladies. His hand was a real help for their dignity, thought miss Heliotrope, as she faintly stepped out of the carriage in wich she has spent fairly too much time recently.

"Isn't the landlord going to greet us?", she mumbled in an unsure voice. Despite there was nothing sure about manners of the family living in such faraway land, she tried to think the best of the place she was supposed to be a guest from now on.

Suddenly, the main entrance had opened. That must have been sir Benjamin Merryweather, thought Maria. What kind of a person would he be? She shivered in the coldness of the night.

"Welcome, dear ladies!" A loud voice announced. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Maria smiled faintly.

"Welcome, dear uncle." She curtsied. The elderly gentleman standing in front of her was a quite extraordinary person. She had a feeling that they would get along well.

"And you must be Maria's governess!", he continued, looking at Miss Heliotrope. "I hope you have endured your journey well. Let me invite you to my humble house, so you can have a proper rest."

The figures in the darkness slowly moved inside the manor, chatting and mumbling. No one saw four pairs of eyes in the darkness, watching the sceene with a kind of dread in their hearts.

"Oh, let it begone!", mumbled Robin.

"She was the Moon Princess, wasn't she?" asked Abbott, one of the Robin's band.

"Must be", replied Robin, surely thinking about something distant. "All the signs are there, that devil dog and so. That would be bad news for our clan... For my father."

But there was still one more person watching in the distance. Lovaday chuckled to herself.

Maria could think of their supper only as delicious, or even better. All the food in such abundance, and how perfectly prepared! Surely she haven't had any such fiest in London. Sir Benjamin, her newly acquainted uncle, was telling them wanders about Moonacre and other curiosities.

"I shall present the manor tomorow, as the hour is late already. Just after we finish dining, I'd be delighted to show you rooms that my servants have prepared.", he went on. "Maria, have you ever tried horse riding?" he asked suddenly. "Becouse it happens I have a horse that would be a perfect fit for you. "

Maria shook her head. Miss Heliotrope gulped as quiet as she could.

"Oh, that is bad", said her uncle, though his voice wasn't worried at all. "Every Merryweather has it in his blood, so I'm sure you get used to it. The Moon Valley is far too beautifull for you not to get q glimpse of it from the horsback, I tell you!" He had a lough.

Suddenly, a big black dog entered the room. Though, big wasn't just enough to describe Maria and Miss Heliotrope hold their breath. They have never seen such a monster, for sure not in London! But Mr Merryweather only smiled, looking upon their reaction.

"And this would be Wrolf", he explained. "No need to worry, as he is the best companion and protector of every Merryweather! He was my companion when I was a lad, came to our mantion on a Christmas Eve and stay ever since... Only once he had disappear for a rather long time, but on the recent Christmas Eve he was just back!", sir Benjamin told the story, as he scratched Wrolf's head.

"Do you have any other animals... besides Wrolf and the horses?", asked Maria after a while of silence.

"Only Zachariah the Cat... But he will disclose to you when he will find it apropriate", loughed sir Benjamin. "Now. I shall show you your rooms!", he exclaimed. The dinner was over.

When Maria walked about the mannor, just behind Digweed with a lantern and her Uncle leading the way, she felt a strange connection towards what would be from now on her new home. It was all so beautifull and... somehow familliar. It was also the first time she would have her own room and she thought it would be a magnificent improvement - up untill now she was always sleeping in the same room as Miss Heliotrope, her governess.

Miss Heliotrope didn't look quite happy with it, but Maria was sure she would accomodate to the new comforts some time soon. Now she was looking forward to seeing what her room would look like. THey should be close already, the house wasn't that big after all.

Suddenly Digweed stopped and sir Benjamin just after him. Maria nearly tripped. The servant opened a small door and Maria catched a glimpse of what was just behind. The tower! She would really have a room on the top of the tower for now on!

"Goodnight, miss Merryweather", said her uncle from behind. She nodded, entering the room. Her stuff was just there.

"Good night", she whispered, yawning. That would really be a great night.


End file.
